Card-holding device



July 3, 1934 G. A. CARLSON 1,965,305

CARD HOLDING DEVICE y Filed Aug. 1o, 193s 2 sheets-sheet 1 j' ,j @ahnlmmhmw Hm @y T316` I 6 g? l r A @Il 1,7 Z0 @lfm Qn; h y ,.172

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CARD HOLDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 10, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2f' gif 6 'if 23 Z f5-f* Z l/ Y Z5 .Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to a card-holding device fand more particularly to means associated with a ycard table for holding the cards ron'dsplay in a breeze or wind.

An object of the invention is to provide means adapted to receive and engage the edges of cards and to maintain them in order on a card table against the force of wind, etc. Another object is to provide means which may be releasably attached to a card table for holding the cards in a desired order or relation. Other specific objects and Aadvantages will appear as the speoicaton proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment, lby the accompanying drawings in which-` Fig. 1 is a plan view of a'card table provided with card-holding devices lembodying my invention; Fig. 2, an enlarged plan View of one of the card-holding devices; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a plan view of a card table equipped with a modied form of cardholding device; Fig. 5, an enlarged sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6, a broken sectional View of another form of the invention.

In the illustration given in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A designates the top of a card table; and B, cardholding devices resting upon the top of a table.

The table A may be of any ordinary or suitable construction.

The card-holding devices B may be constructed in different forms or shapes. In the illustration, each devices consists of a plate which may be of white metal, bakelite, or any other suitable material having sufcient weight to anchor the device to the table. A rivet or post 11 extends through the plate 10, and a backing 12 of felt or other cushioning material may be glued or otherwise secured to the bottom of plate 10. About the post 11 is placed a rubber collar or sleeve 13 formed of any suitable resilient material. I have found that a sleeve formed of rubber or preferably sponge rubber is suitable. Any desired number of yieldable or resilient posts may thus be formed on a plate. In the illustration given, a plate 14 is provided with three posts; a plate 15 is provided with ve posts; and a plate 16 is provided with two posts. A plate 17 similar to plate 16, may be placed in the center of the board, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. 'Ihe posts on each of the plates are so spaced apart as to yieldably engage and grip the edges of cards placed therebetween. For example, the plate 17, 155' with its two posts, enables the players to successively place a card between the posts, the cards being faced upward and arranged in stepped relation so as to expose the portion of each card. The plate 15 provides spaces for four sets of cards and is adapted to receive, as required in the game of bridge, the hands of the dummy. It can been found that as many as seven cards `can be secured by ya pair of posts, the cards being separated so as to expose a portion of each card.

The four plates 16 are each arranged near a corner of the table, and each plate is adapted to receive the newly made deck of cards. The player who has just shuied the extra deck of cards, may place it between the resilient post 13 while the active deck is being played with.

The plate 14, as illustrated more fully in Fig. 2, is useful for holding the tricks as they are taken. In the illustration given in Fig. 2, the numeral 18 represents a book consisting of six tricks, while the numeral 19 represents additional tricks. The tricks 19 are separated to expose the number of extra tricks and illustrate the manner in which the yieldable posts 13 enable the cards to be separated.

Assuming, for the purpose of illustration, that a gaine of bridge is being played, the operation will be as follows. The freshly shuflied deck is taken from one of the plates 16 and, after being cut, is dealt to the four players. When it has been determined who is dummy, and the initial card play made, the dummys cards are arranged in the fourA spaces between the posts on plate 15, the cards being spread apart longitudinally to expose the values of the cards. The cards are played from the places between the posts on plate 17, with the dierent cards spread apart to expose their values. The player taking the trick places it lin the position illustrated by the -numeral 18 on the plate 14. After six tricks have been taken, the additional tricks maybe arranged as illustrated by the numeral 19 on plate 14. As has been already explained, the freshly shuffled deck is placed between the posts on one of the plates 16.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the plate 20 is provided with pins or posts 21 about which are placed resilient sleeves 22. The table A is provided with perforations 24 adapted to receive the posts. Secured to the bottom side of the table wall are pivoted bars 23 equipped with downwardly extending handles 24 and with depending catch portions 25 adapted to engage the ends of the plate 20. The member 23 is secured by means of rivet 26 to the table wall. In the illustration given in Fig. 4, there is a central plate 27 equipped with two posts and four side plates 28, each equipped with iive posts. With this arrangement, any of the plates 28 may be used by the dummy and any two or three of the posts may be used by the other players for stacking the tricks or holding the extra deck.

In the operation of the modied form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the plates 20 may be detached from the table A by swinging handles 24 in a rotary movement to release the plates from engagement therewith, and the posts may then be allowed to fall through the openings 23 of the table wall. In the event of a sharp breeze, when means for holding the cards on the table are desired, the plates 20 may be again brought into the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 with the posts extending through the openings 23 by swinging the members 25 to the position shown in Fig. 5.

In the illustration given in Fig. 6, a table C is provided with a top wall 29 of wood or other suitable material, and also with a cover 30 secured to the table in any suitable manner. A bolt or rivet 31 extends through the wall 29 and cover 30. A sleeve 32 is releasably confined on bolt 3l by head 33. The resilient post thus formed may be secured in the proper spaced relation about the table to meet the requirements of the players and the particular card game played. In this illustration, the posts are permanently secured to the table.

While I have shown certain arrangements of the posts which adapt them to the playing of bridge, it will be understood that such arrangements are for the purpose of illustration only. Other arrangements will obviously be necessary for different types of cards and different kinds of card games.

While I prefer to employ resilient posts, one may, if he desires, use posts which are not resilient but which because of the yielding quality of the cards, serve as a satisfactory card anchor.

In the playing of many card games, as for eX- ample bridge, one hand is required to hold the players cards and the other hand is needed for playing a card, picking up tricks, etc. It will be observed that little opportunity is thus afforded for a player to manipulate a card-holding device in the form of a clip, etc. With my invention, the player simply places a card upon the table between two posts, thus requiring practically no more effort than is usually required. The posts permit the cards to be readily separated longitudinally to expose portions of the cards below. Also, while removing or inserting the cards between the posts, is practically effortless, the engagement of opposite edges of the cards maintains a rm grip which anchors the cards firmly to the table.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In combination with a table used for playing cards, spaced members adapted to yieldably engage the sides of cards, and means for anchoring said members to said table.

2. In combination with a card table, spaced post members adapted to yieldably engage the sides of the cards, and means for releasably securing said members to said table.

3. In card-holding means of the character set forth, a plate, a pair of posts secured thereto in spaced relation, said posts being adapted to receive a card between them and to yieldably engage its edges.

4. In card-holding means of the character set forth, a table, posts secured thereto in spaced relation, and resilient means carried by said posts, said resilient means being spaced apart so as to engage the edges of cards placed therebetween.

5. In a device of the character set forth, a table, posts secured thereto and extending thereabove, said posts being spaced apart so as to yieldably engage the sides of cards placed therebetween.

6. Card-anchoring means for use with card tables comprising, weighted strips and posts secured to said strips, said posts being spaced apart to receive cards placed therebetween and to yieldably engage the edges thereof.

'7. Card-anchoring means for use with card tables comprising, plates, and resilient posts secured to said plates, said posts being spaced apart to receive and yieldably engage the edges of cards placed therebetween.

8. Card-anchoring means for use with card tables comprising, plates, posts secured thereto, and rubber sleeves carried by said posts, said sleeves being spaced apart so .as to-yieldablyengage the edges of cards placed therebetween.

9. In combination with a card table and wall provided with spaced perforations, a plate, posts carried by said plate and adapted to extend through said perforations when the plate is drawn against the bottom of said table wall, and means for releasably locking said plate against the bottom of the table wall.

l0. In combination, a card table having its top wall provided with a plurality of spaced posts, said posts being spaced apart to yieldably engage the edges of cards placed therebetween.

GUSTAV A. CARLSON. 

